Shoe tongue



Nov. 16 1926. 1,606,797

' W. A. JULIAN SHOE TONGUE' Filed July 11, 1925 IN VEN TOR.'

BY @mir/YM :g4/0 A TTORNEY.

Patented Nov. I6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT :OFF-lola.l

WILLIAM ALEXANDER JULIAN, OE cINcINNA'ii, OHIO, AssIGNoR To GROUND GRIP- PER sIIOE COMPANY, INC.. OE NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OP NEW YORK.

SHOE TONGUE.

Application filed July 11` 1925.

My invention relates to shoe tongues; and its objects are to protect the foot from injury whilepermitting a tighter lacing of the shoe, to provide a self adjusting securing device, and to effect a new arrangement of parts whereby the muscles of the foot are freed from constraint while the shoe is firm* ly secured.

In shoes now on the market, particularly golf and other athletic shoes, the tongue of the shoe is non-yielding to any material extent, so that if the shoe is tightly laced to prevent the admission of dirt or other foreign matter, the foot is considerably constrained and the movement of the muscles confined. In my improved shoe, I employ a tongue of substantially ovate design, having in its construction a unit strip of elastic material which acts as a padding and which is preferably crepe rubber. This enables the shoe to be laced more tightly and permits the top edge thereof to be drawn closely to the foot or ankle, thereby preventing the ingress of sand, pebbles or dirt when the shoe is worn in the open country, while the muscles of the foot are not constrained from normal action.

Attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawing, in which similar numerals of designation refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure l is aview of an oxford shoe embodying in its construction my improved tongue, a portion of the upper being shown cut away; Fig. 2 is a view of the said tongue from the inside of the same, the parts thereof being cut away to show its construction, and Fig. 3 is a section of the view shown in Fig. 2, looking in the ydirection of the arrows.

In the drawing, the shoe. a is shown provided with the tongue 5, which is preferably made with a facing 6, a soft lining 7, and a unit strip of yielding material 8 acting as a padding. The facing 6 is preferably of the same material and color as the upper of the shoe, such as leather, canvas or the like. The lining 7 is preferably of felt or soft textile fabric, but may be of any material suitable for the purpose. The unit strip 8 is formed preferably of crepe rubber of a substantial thickness, but may b-e formed of Serial No. 42.936.

other kinds of rubber, or of any material which is yielding in character and of suiiicient elasticity for the purpose.

The tongue 5 takes substantially the form of a paddle, that is, substantially ovate, having a narrow shank extension at its smaller end where it is adapted tobe attached to the shoe. The rubberipadding or strip 8 takes a corresponding substantially ovate formation and is cut from a homogeneous mass and will in and of itself, as a unit, exercise resiliency, .elasticity and flexibility, while at the same time giving the tongue a certain stiffening quality. Because of the shape of the tongue, it will better conform to the shape of the human foot and permit maintenance of the graceful curve of the upper and vamp of the shoe over the instep, in accordance with the contour lof the foot and Without bulging the upper or vamp at any point. This construction also provides a very narrow shank or extension which is attached to the shoe, thus obviously permit-l ting the shoe to be laced tighter about the foot with less bulkiness and to be pressed agpinst the foot and not to bind the muscles, w ile at the sam-e time, providing `a very broad upper end portion which will overlie the instep, hence rendering the particular design of the present tongue of great utility. In practice after a shoe containing my improved tongue has been placed upon the foot, it is then laced or buttoned firmly down upon the tongue 5, the elasticity of the. padding 8 permitting a much tighter lacing or buttoning than could be secured with the ordinary shoe tongue. Upon the shoe being secured in this manner, it will be found that the softlining of the tongue 5 coming in contact with the stocking of the foot of the wearer is held in smooth contact therewith and that the padding of yielding material 8 suffices to protect the foot against external injury and allows the top of the shoe to be drawn sufficiently close to prevent the ingress of sand, dirt or other foreign matter while at the same time the muscles of the foot are permitted to function freely. While I have described my invention with particular reference to the embodiment herein shown and described, I by no means desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction herein disclosed, since, as is protective material, a lining of soft material obvious, various changes and medications and L unit strip of crepe rubber employed could be made Without departing from the as @padding inserted between said facing l0 spirit and purpose of my invention. and rubber. 5 What I claim and desire to secure by Let- InV testimony Whereo I have hereunto set ters Patent is: my hand this 10th day of July, 1925.

A shoe tongue, consisting of a- 'facing of WILLIAM ALEXANDER JULIAN. 

